Biodiversity, Neutraceutical and Biofertilizer Characters of Seaweeds of Gulf of Kachchh, India

Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar, J.I. · Dr. Megha H. Barot · Dr. Rita N. Kumar · Dr. Hiren B. Soni

Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar, J.I.

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India has contributed significant diversity in coastal and oceanic ecosystems with a cost line of 7500 km. Gujarat is endowed with the longest (1600 km) shoreline, having diverse seaweed flora compared to other states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Kerala of West Coast of India. Among two Gulfs of Gujarat, Gulf of Khambhat contributes large amount of water and sediments, and it consists of seven estuaries, whereas, Gulf of Kutch inputs are very less. On 9 September, 2013, Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) declared India's first marine eco-sensitive zone around Marine National Park in Gulf of Kutch, and confirmed 313 sq. km. around the park as an eco-sensitive zone. In spite of lower inputs, Gulf of Kutch bears good diversity due to different types of habitats like sandy, rocky calcareous seabed and coral beds, seaweeds and mangroves in the relatively sheltered waters of the Gulf. Seaweeds are important living resources of this marine national park. Seaweeds are also known as benthic marine algae, live either in marine or brackish water and contain different photosynthetic pigments. Seaweeds are mostly found in the coastal region between high tide to low tide and in the sub-tidal region where appropriate photosynthetic light is available and utilizing nutrients from seawater and sunlight and synthesize foods. Unlike true plants, seaweeds do not contain root, stem, or leaves; instead, they have thallus that consists of the holdfast, stipe, and blade. Okha Coast (Gulf of Kutch) is rich in seaweed with diversified species. Coral reefs and other rocks provide suitable substrate for the maximized growth of seaweed species in this habitat. The coast is characterized by mixed tides and generally with narrow intertidal regions. Seaweeds are used in many coastal countries, mainly in Asia, Japan, Korea, and China as a source of food, raw material for industries and as fertilizer. The main usages of seaweeds are as foods, feed, cosmetics, fertilizers, bioactive compounds, industrial gums, and chemicals. Some seaweed can be used in controlling goiter disease caused by enlargement of thyroid glands, as they are rich source iodine. Diseases caused by vitamin deficiency such as vitex, asthma, tooth decay etc., may be eliminated using seaweeds in the food. In the present book Biodiversity, Neutraceutical and Biofertilizer Characters of Seaweeds of Gulf of Kachchh, India, authors have employed their painstaking efforts to investigate seasonal seaweed diversity in relation to hydro-geochemical properties of Bet Dwarka, Okha Coast, nutraceutical properties of seaweeds (Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta, Rhodophyta), effect of seaweeds extract on seed germination, viability and biochemical composition of Onion, Soyabean and Sesame seeds, seaweeds as biofertilizers in ex-situ experiment on Fenugreek and Spinach seeds, and phylogenetic relationships among seaweed species and genetical identification by DNA bar-coding using tufA gene for green and COI gene for brown and red algae. This book will certainly be helpful to students, researchers, academicians, scientists, and marine authorities of Gujarat and India, to enrich their knowledge in cutting edge of research in the field of marine ecology and biodiversity.

About the author

Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar, J.I. is currently working as a Professor and Head, P.G. Department of Environmental Science and Technology (EST) at Institute of Science & Technology for Advanced Studies & Research (ISTAR), Vallabh Vidyanagar (Dist. Anand), Gujarat (India), where he teaches various post-graduate and PhD-level courses, and guiding research projects at the PhD (guided 19 PhDs, 2 more pursuing) and Masters levels. His research interests include bioremediation, biodegradation, nanoscience and technology, biodiversity and conservation, wetland pollution monitoring, forest nutrient dynamics, ecology, environmental biology, etc. He has received 15 major research projects from various national funding agencies, including Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) (India), Ministry of Earth Sciences (India), University Grants Commission, New Delhi, Gujarat State Forest Department, among others. He has 34 years of research and 30 years of teaching experience and has published more than 215 research papers in peer reviewed international and national journals and proceedings (www.nirmalkumarji.in, https://vidwan.inflibnet.ac.in/profile/270934). Prof. Dr. Kumar has attended, chaired, and presented various papers at international and national conferences. In addition, he is a fellow of several professional bodies e.g. National Environmentalists Association (NEA), Science Academy (GSA), member in National Environmental Science Academy (NESA), Indian Science Congress Association (ISCA), and Indian Association for Air Pollution Control (IAAPC), and National Institute of Ecology (NIE). Prof. Dr. Nirmal Kumar has received several best paper and academia awards (above 15) at national and state level and has developed international collaborations with the University of Cincinnati, Ohio; the Missouri University of Science and Technology (MST); and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan, GUIDE, Green Group Companies, NIA, for academic, research, training, project work, placement, and student exchange programs.

Dr. Rita N. Kumar is currently working as a Head, Department of Biological & Environmental Science at N.V. Patel College of Pure & Applied Sciences (NVPAS), Vallabh Vidyanagar (Dist. Anand), Gujarat (India). She is involved in teaching various under-graduate and PhD-level courses, and guiding many state level and national level research projects and doctoral students at the PhD level. Her research areas include ecology, environmental biology, biodiversity and conservation, aquatic pollution, floristic study, forest nutrient dynamics, bioremediation, phytoremediation, and air pollution and climate change. She has completed 10 major research projects from various national funding agencies, including Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) (India), Ministry of Earth Sciences (India), University Grants Commission, New Delhi, Gujarat State Forest Department, and many others. She has 34 years of research and 30 years of teaching experience. She has more than 175 research papers to her credit in peer-reviewed international and national journals. Dr. Rita Kumar has attended, chaired, and presented various papers at international and national conferences. In addition, she is a member of several professional bodies at state and national levels. Dr. R.N. Kumar has received several best paper and academia awards and has developed national collaborations for executing research and student exchange programs.

Dr. Hiren B. Soni has 24 years of research and 16 years of academic experience in diverse fields such as Systematic Zoology (Invertebrates & Vertebrates), Ornithology & Wildlife Biology, Field Biology (Biodiversity & Conservation), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Wetland Biology (Biodiversity, Ecology, Restoration, Management), Bioremediation (Phytoremediation), and Ecotoxicology. He is well-versed in He is credited with more than 150 publications including research papers, scientific articles, popular publications, book chapters and books at national and international levels. Moreover, Dr. Hiren B. Soni is voluntarily serving as Associate Editor, Certified Reviewer of Publons Academy (UK), Deputy Editor, Editorial Advisory Board Member, Editorial Book Reviewer, Editor-in-Charge, Managing Editor, Manuscript Editor, Panel Reviewer and Senior Editor in international publishing houses e.g. Springer, Elsevier, Taylor & Francis etc. He is also affiliated with Nature Publishing Group as a Potential Reviewer in Nature Journal (Environment & Ecology), Scientific Data Journal (Ecology, Environment, Biodiversity, Conservation) and Nature Communications (Earth & Environment). Dr. Hiren B. Soni is also acting as Environmental Consultant (Advisory Member) in Hanell International, Zimbabwe (South Africa).

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